One of the best things about Madeira's levada walks is the treasures that can be found along the way or at the end of each walk. Lagoa do Vento fulfils the above criteria, leading to a breathtaking lagoon situated at the base of an 80-metre-high waterfall.
We absolutely adore waterfalls. The power and height of waterfalls make us feel humbled by nature. And often it serves as a great refresher during the hike. While there are more waterfall hikes on Madeira Island, Lagoa do Vento is a bit of an underdog. But the great thing about this levada walk is that you can even swim in the lagoon! On a warm summer day, this is a welcome way to cool off!
We started to walk the Lagoa do Vento trail in the early morning. The sun was rising behind the mountains, and the car park was empty. We always love to start hiking as early as possible. It gives us the opportunity to be the first at a certain spot, be one with nature and take in the beautiful scenery without other people around us. Only the birds were awake and supported us throughout the forest with their beautiful songs. Accompanied by the sound of running water from the levada and a small breeze through the twisted tree branches, we made our way deeper into the stunning Laurissilva Forest.
The path was very easy to follow and only had a significant incline along the way. That said, for us, Lagoa do Vento was an accessible walk in Madeira, even though it can be a bit challenging for non-regular hikers since it’s classified with moderate difficulty by the responsible entities. There is one section where the levada flows down next to the steps, creating a stunning natural waterfall. Of course, we had to stop and take a quick picture here! Soon enough the stairs led us down to the lagoon. We could already hear the waterfall, and because we went after it had been raining for a few days, we could tell that the waterfall was powerful!
Once we arrived at the lagoon, we were amazed by this waterfall's beauty, power, and height. This must be one of the most beautiful waterfalls on Madeira Island! But of course, you have to go at the right time to see it in its glory. Summertime means less rain, so the waterfalls will most likely be dried up, but autumn and winter mean more rainy days, resulting in powerful waterfalls.
It wasn’t warm enough to take a dip in the natural pool. But we can imagine that on a hot summer day… it must be amazing to bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the lagoon to cool off. It’s one of Madeira's only natural lagoons where you can swim! Ensure you are brave enough and a good swimmer because no lifeguard is here.
While we were enjoying our breakfast on the rocks and listening to the powerful waterfall, a bird came to sit next to us, asking for a breadcrumb. Although I would have loved to share my food with the birds, I learned that giving birds bread is actually very, very bad for them. If you really want to feed some of the birds, seeds such as sunflower seeds are the best thing to bring with you on hikes. And the great thing is that sunflower seeds are also very healthy for humans! It’s a tasty and nutritious snack to bring with you on your Madeira hiking adventures.
